1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to reel units. More specifically, the present invention relates to spinning-reel reel units from which fishing line can be reeled out frontward.
2. Background Information
A spinning reel generally has a reel unit mounted to a fishing rod, a handle rotatably attached to the reel unit, a rotor rotatably fitted to the reel unit, and a spool fitted to the front of the rotor reciprocatably relative to the reel unit. Fishing line is guided by the rotor and is wound around the outer circumference of the spool.
The reel unit is furnished with a T-shaped rod-attachment leg to be fitted to a fishing rod, and a reel body that is formed integrally with the rod-attachment leg and is for accommodating a variety of mechanisms inside. The reel body includes a main piece having a housing space inside that opens sideways, and a lid member fitted to the main piece attachably/detachably covering the opening of the main piece. The opening of the main piece is formed in a substantially rectangular shape along the contour of the main piece so that the joint between the main piece and the lid member is exposed on the rod-attachment leg side in the shape of a liner line, as seen, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication. No 10-4836.
In the foregoing conventional spinning reel, the joint between the main piece and the lid member that is exposed on the rod-attachment leg side is formed so as to shape a liner line. However, such structure tends to create a wasteful space between the joint and the contour of the main piece. Such a wasteful space created in the main piece may prevent reduction in the overall reel size, and cause the strength of the reel unit to degrade.
In addition, in the conventional configuration, the joint was formed to shape a liner line substantially parallel to the spool shaft. For this reason, in cases where a force acts on to the reel unit in the axial direction of the spool shaft, the cross-sectional area of the rod-attachment leg with respect to the load direction decreases abruptly at the joint portion. Accordingly, there is a risk of breakage at the joint portion if the material strength or the thickness of the reel unit is insufficient.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved reel units that overcome the above-describe problem of the conventional art. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.